ps: Minor decrease in Kyrie's loyalty and Intangible levels after his trade demand

The New Boss

After a quiet offseason in Miami, in wich the Heat lost some All Star names to other clubs (Hello, Hayward), Pat Riley seemed to be tired with all the crictism and the playing around. Weeks before the start of the season, he decided to retire from his GM position. But if you think that's the big news, you haven't seen nothing yet. The former head coach and general manager of the franchise decided to BUY it. Yes. Pat Riley, the Florida O.G., is now the true godfather and owner of the Miami Heat brand and basketball club. The first thing he's going to do with his new toy is to hire someone to run the business, as he goes off radar, relaxing and smoking a cuban cigar in a 4 million yatch anchored somewhere on the ocean. Travis Scott (skrr skrr) seems to be the name to run the Heat's decision-making, even though no one in the basketball media knows who he is.

He [Travis Scott] is the perfect guy, you know? He's homegrown, Taco eater, he's got that Heat Culture in his veins. When we promoted Spoelstra from video-room-guy to the Head Coach position, most of you media people did not understand either. Now he has 2 championships on his bag. Let our best PR guy do his job.Pat Riley, on Travis Scott's being appointed as new GM of Miami Heat

AAAAAND he did. Oh boy, he did.It was 9AM. First thing he actually did at his office, after a deserved cup of coffee, was a phone call. To someone in Phoenix. Then to someone in Cleveland. Fax is too oldfashioned. E-mail is too pompous. He is a vocal guy. Serious talks were made there.10AM, a facetime chat. With someone in Phoenix and in Cleveland. Those three were talking together, now. There was a lot of laughter in the office, I'm told. Travis can be fun at times.12PM, he took a quick flight to Oklahoma, to meet with those people. 17pm he landed.19PM, he popped on the best restaurant in OKC to have a fancy dinner with those people. You might actually know who they are.20PM, he's still talking. Did I tell you he's a vocal guy?21h46PM he leaves. the Cleveland, and the Phoenix guy too.22h23PM, internet goes absolute NUTS after a tweet from Woj:

Heat goes ALL IN and snatches Kyrie Irving, league sources tell ESPN. One day after his trade request, Kyrie Irving has a new home. A three-way trade involving Cleveland, Phoenix and Miami led the young guard to take his talents to South Beach. Along with Kyrie, Iman Shumpert and Jeff Green are expected to sign with Miami. Phoenix gets Hassan Whiteside and Channing Frye as a part of the deal. Cleveland receives Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Heat 2017, 2020 unprotected first round picks. It's a very bold move from Scott, as the new Heat GM, to unveil one of the most prolific, and yet promising players in the league.

The excitement was all over the basketball world, but the questions and skepticism were there too. Miami gave up on four of their best and most promising players, plus key draft picks. The Heat finally has an All Star caliber on their roster, but lots of teams in history also had, and still managed fail the playoffs (even the Heat themselves in the pre-Bron era). Kyrie is 24, arguably one of the best handles ever. Already one of the most efficient scorers in the modern history of the game. However he can be a liability on defense, and his playmaking skills seems not to be in elite level yet, as LeBron James was the primary player initiator/assistant for the Cavs, in the Big 3 era. Was that gamble too expensive for Miami? Will the Heat be able to build around Kyrie? Will Kyrie be able to rebuild the Heat culture, or will he be a lonely helpless star like in his first Cavalier years?

Last edited by rafcl on Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:58 am, edited 2 times in total.

First Week Business: After the Kyrie trade, the Heat needs to refuel their roster.

Free Agency Business

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DERON WILLIAMS. PG. 1yr 2.95M.

Even though he's been stuggling through the last seasons, the Heat trusted the former All Star to be the Kyrie Irving backup for another year (after failing to sign Llul and Ty Lawson). Could become a solid backup for the point guard position, as he can do a little bit of everything that the position demands.

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ANTE TOMIC. C. 1yr 2.81MI

A giant question mark on this one. The 30 year old croatian is a former All-EuroLeague and All-ACB member, but he's been second guessed because of his frame and athleticism. He enters the NBA as a starter, with the reponsability to replace the well rounded and great defender Hassan Whiteside. After some Euro busts around the league in the last years, better be careful.

Since Spoelstra considers Kelly Olynik to be a starting stretch four and Tomic to be a starting center, Miami brings a true scrapper and athletic center to the bench, getting rid of two uneventual role players. Curious to see him getting minutes in an arena where Shaq's retired jersey is hanging. Looney is a reserve with waive potential.